Vermicelli Soup

Vermicelli soup, as the name suggests, is a pasta soup that contains vermicelli pasta that is more popular as extra-fine spaghetti, as the main ingredient. Any kind of vermicelli, be it durum-wheat variety or the semolina variety, can be used to make several soup dishes in different cuisines.

Vermicelli soup is largely popular in the Mediterranean diet that includes vermicelli, or more generally pasta, as a staple food. The high consumption of pasta in Italy and some other parts of Southern Europe makes pasta soups extremely likable.

 Commonly Used Ingredients and Preparation Overview of Vermicelli Soup

Vermicelli is a very thin noodle that lends itself to various dishes including soups and salads. Dry noodles are usually cooked beforehand and incorporated in soup stock along with other ingredients. Though semolina and wheat vermicelli are extremely popular around the world to make vermicelli dishes, rice and Mung bean vermicelli have their own importance in East Asian cuisine, especially in Chinese cuisine.  Mung vermicelli turns translucent after cooking, whereas a whitish hue is attained by the rice vermicelli when cooked. Whatever the variety, the vermicelli soup is  generally considered hearty and even nutritious in all kinds of cuisines.

Other ingredients that complement the soups containing vermicelli are chicken, pork, beef, mushroom, carrots, zucchini and onion. Seafood such as shrimps and prawns go quite well with vermicelli. Usually, vermicelli is added to clear and light soups; therefore, cream and cheese are generally not added to make soups thick and rich. Common seasonings for vermicelli soups include vinegar, garlic, soya sauce, pepper and fish sauce.

Preparation method includes a stock that is particularly used as the base of the soup. Vermicelli is boiled separately and kept aside until stock is prepared and vegetables are stir-fried. Once the stock is added and boiled with vegetables, the liquid is ladled over the cooked warm vermicelli and served hot with soy sauce and vinegar seasoning, if desired.  Chopped spring onion greens also enhance the visual appeal of the soup while serving.

Popular Vermicelli Soup Recipes

• Beef brisket rice vermicelli soup – It is a popular dish from the cuisine of Hong Kong where vermicelli pasta is fondly eaten as noodles. Beef brisket is typically used to make the stew that is flavored with ginger, star anise and daikon. The stew makes the base of the soup along with a choice of vegetables and cooked vermicelli.
• Vermicelli chicken soup – As the name suggests, this soup contains chicken and vermicelli as the main ingredients. Chicken is usually cooked and shredded before adding to the soup. Tomatoes, green pepper, onion and garlic are the other components that are added in desired quantities to flavor the soup. Vermicelli is cooked beforehand and added to the chicken broth with other ingredients and served hot as an appetizer. Oregano and rock salt are often added as the flavored toppings.

Nutritional and Health Facts Related to Vermicelli Soup Recipe

Vermicelli soup is prepared with distinct ingredients and the nutritional value of the dish is calculated with the collective nutrient contents present in the ingredients. Vermicelli itself is an excellent source of carbohydrates that provide energy. It is a useful source of protein and contains very less fat. However, if soup is prepared with fatty ingredients including butter and cheese, then excess consumption may harm the health.

Trivia

Mexican cuisine and the cuisine of Latin America include a chicken soup that contains ‘fideo’ noodle. Though this chicken soup does not contain vermicelli, the English speakers often call it ‘vermicelli soup’ owing to the resemblance of ‘fideo’ to vermicelli.